NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM)

[tofubreadchillicoriander]

I've searched the forum and couldn't find anything on NARM so I thought to share it here.

NeuroAffective Relational Model is a somewhat new type of therapy that works bottom-up as well as top-down. It inherits modalities from psychodynamic therapy as well as somatic therapy, however is not limited by these two.

The model was developed specifically to target Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) and developmental (relational) trauma.

There's a podcast available ( https://narmtraining.com/transformingtrauma/ ) with over 100 episodes as well as training at various levels.

Website: https://narmtraining.com

Book: Healing Developmental Trauma by Dr. Laurence Heller and Brad Kammer (ebook available: I highly recommend it as it gives examples from therapy clinical sessions)

[tofubreadchillicoriander]

There are some exciting news coming from NARM world, and those are the establishment of Complex Trauma Training Center:

We have some exciting news we'd like to share with you about updates and changes happening in 2024!

Due to our rapid growth over these past few years, and our desire to continue providing the highest quality training programs to you, we will be transitioning the NARM Training Insitute into two NARM-based organizations: we will be continuing the NARM Training Institute and we'd like to introduce you to the Complex Trauma Training Center.

The NARM Training Institute will be run by Dr. Laurence Heller, along with Tue Kjaer, currently the Organizer for NARM Scandinavia, and will be providing the Level 1 Online Basics Training (and L1 consult groups), the Level 4 Post-Masters Training (and L4 consult groups), and the Inner Circle Online Program.
 
The Complex Trauma Training Center will be run by Brad Kammer, along with Stefanie Klein and Marcia Black, and will be providing in North America and online the Level 2 NARM Therapist Training (and L2 consult & active coaching groups) and Level 3 NARM Master Therapist Training (and L3 consult & active coaching groups), as well as continuing the Transforming Trauma Podcast.

In addition to continuing the NARM training programs, both the NARM Training Institute and the Complex Trauma Training Center have exciting new programs that they look forward to sharing with you coming soon!

This transition will allow both organizations to continue actualizing the shared vision of bringing humanity to the transformation of complex trauma, through different areas of focus and delivery. The NARM Training Institute will be bringing additional resources to provide asynchronous learning opportunities and expanding the reach of NARM to new areas including addiction treatment to an expanding international community. The Complex Trauma Training Center will continue focusing on clinical trainings for therapists, as well as ongoing professional development and community. Together, we plan to strengthen our mission for bringing NARM to therapists, helping professionals, individuals and communities in need of complex trauma healing.

You will be hearing more from us in the coming weeks and months regarding this transition, as well as receiving information on our new programs.

We are grateful for these past 6 years and are excited about this new chapter. Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to our ongoing connection and engagement with you moving into 2024 and beyond.

[Kizzie]

Well hallelujah! I hadn't come across this yet so tks for posting this Tofu+. I am working on a project with ISTSS about the need for education and training about Complex Trauma in healthcare so this will be a good addition to the organizations,  information and references I have dug up so far. 

[tofubreadchillicoriander]

I'm glad it's of help, Kizzie. And I hope your efforts will lead to fruitful results. It's so much needed in the times we're living. 

[Kizzie]

I am quite hopeful this NARM approach will prove to be a really effective treatment for us.  It strikes me as spot on in terms of what we need to deal with the impact of CPTSD.  Fingers crossed!

[tofubreadchillicoriander]

Indeed, the model is quite complex and so hopefully it's what's needed to treat C-PTSD. We should keep in mind, though, that different modalities may work for different people so we have to be careful to not declare this approach as a be all end all modality. I really do hope, though, that the new training center will yield results for treating C-PTSD and that countries worldwide get to adopt the approach. Just reading the clinical sessions notes in the book lended a shift in me (moving into adult consciousness from child consciousness). In any case, one more tool in the toolbelt is always welcomed.

[dollyvee]

Hi tofu,

I've just come across this book again in my shelves after purchasing it almost nine years ago - ha! I think it makes a lot more sense now as I've had time to work out my inner world a little more.

I was reminded of it on a forum talking about fearful avoidant attachment and relationships, and it seems to really put that together well all the feelings and emotions that go along with it. My t has been talking about preverbal trauma, but I think sometimes it's hard to get a fix on what that is and how it manifests internally etc. I'm going to bring this book up with her and see what she says.

Thanks for bringing this up in the forum for more people to be aware of and talk about. I'm a fan of what I've read so far.

Sending you support,
dolly

[Kizzie]

There's a free Zoom webinar about NARM Fri if you're interested.  I'm signed up because it sounds like what relational trauma survivors need. It's here if you're interested - https://narmtraining.com/. Here's what it's about:

Join us on February 9th from 10:00 – 11:30 am Pacific Time for a free on the NeuroAffective Relational Model for Healing Attachment, Relational & Developmental Trauma.

What you will learn in this Webinar:

An overview of NARM's theoretical and clinical approach to complex trauma

NARM's roots in the fields of somatic psychology, relational psychodynamic psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology

The distinction between shock and developmental trauma

The NARM clinical approach as applied through a clinical demonstration

Further learning and training opportunities

Plus much more


 (I'll put this in the Conferences sub-forum as well.)

[dollyvee]

Hi Kizzie,

Thank you for the link - I'll try and check it out tomorrow if time zones allow.

Sending you support,
dolly

[Kizzie]

May "see" you there as I'm signed up 

[dollyvee]

Hey Kizzie,

I didn't end up making it to the info meeting, but wondering how you found it? I'm reading an excerpt of some of the owrk Aline has done with a client in the book, and it feels like pretty powerful stuff for me.

Sending you support,
dolly

[Kizzie]

I actually found it somewhat disappointing because I didn't come away with a good idea of what exactly the model is and how it works. They talked quite a bit about what CPTSD is, the symptoms, etc and then a little about NARM with a short excerpt from a session with a client. So if you knew nothing about CPTSD it was great, if you knew nothing about NARM it was on the light side.

What I got out of it was that it is a top down (neuro/cognitive) bottom up (affective/emotional) approach that is explored in relationship between the therapist and client.

I think I'll check it out to a greater extent because I was/am hoping this holds a lot of promise for us.   

[dollyvee]

Ah that's interesting. I was just having a look at the R/NARM thread in Reddit and quite a few people say the same thing. However, the moderator said this which I thought was helpful:

I totally understand about the paid gatekeeper thing. I'm in the UK and have always felt icky about the way things are marketed in the USA.

I'm also a survivor of spiritual abuse so have a particularly keen radar for anything that feels 'cultish' or not genuine - my appreciation for NARM comes from my direct experience in therapy sessions (I came to NARM after some bad experiences with other therapy styles) rather than coming at it from the outside (books etc).

What I appreciated most of all was the focus at all times on client agency and consent - I wasn't pushed into any specific schedule of sessions, or pathologised with diagnoses, just experienced a style of open questioning that has really helped me build self compassion, seeing the ways I've coped as valuable survival skills rather than 'symptoms'.

I think this is why it's probably hard to get across in words - and why the first book sort of fails to communicate. It's more of an approach/style of questioning - taking the therapists agenda/judgement out of the situation and letting the client gradually ease into their own potential for healing. That's what I experienced anyway.

(IMO the second book (just came out) is so much better as it actually explains what the therapy techniques are, and puts it in a much better context of societal/cultural trauma.)

Anyway, I'm not on a any kind of mission to make people pay for NARM stuff - at all! - I just genuinely found for me that NARM sessions helped me work through some serious spiritual/developmental trauma, and took all the pathology/judgement out of it - and it's totally changed my outlook on the potential for people to heal from relational / complex trauma. Wishing you all the best x

https://www.reddit.com/r/CPTSD_NSCommunity/s/aa2DMTY8xx

From the work with a client that's outlined in the book, I also appreciate that it seems to be client focused and led with an emphasis on helping establish the inner felt sense.

I guess there's a lot of room for error on what is attuned touch for a therapist and how they're able to help the client, but I guess that's sort of like any therapy.

[Kizzie]

I'm happy to read that, it makes sense why it seemed to me to be just more talk therapy.  I wasn't picking up on the nuance of the therapist's style I guess but it was just a short excerpt and I don't think I understood the presenter's explanation of what NARM is exactly either. Reading above the post you copied and pasted I see I am not the only one who had the reaction of not understanding what NARM is exactly.   

That said, I love the idea of the therapist doing as much as they can to encourage agency and lessen the power imbalance. Plus, not imposing a model that the client has to bend to (e.g., CBT), rather the model is about bending to the needs/wants of clients. I didn't see that when I was watching the client session excerpt mainly because it was too short as I mentioned. 

I will delve into this further because a neuroaffective relational model is to me the best hope for dealing with our symptoms "survival skills". It just makes sense considering how we have been attacked and what we had to do to survive.

I'd like to see the evidence like one of the posters in Reddit said though. A lot of models suffer from a lack of credible evidence and that is something IMO must change. I think it will as more and more research comes out and the pressure is there to have a particular model backed up by data.

I'm including the link to the presentation in case anyone wants to have a gander - https://cttc.kartra.com/page/sX8566.

[dollyvee]

Yes, I really related to the agency aspect as well that I sort of picked up on reading overviews of some sessions in the book. I feel like this is what has been missing in my sessions with my therapist. I feel like sometimes we butt heads when she tries to help me define something and I feel adamant, or put off, that it's "taking away from me" if that makes sense. At the same time though, there is a part that obviously values differing opinions. I think it comes down to, "I was always wrong and had to caretake other people." So, my opinions never mattered and I have to protect them (and a very early identity/right to exist).

This another good thread that goes into what someone with the connection survival style got out of NARM:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/comments/j90ol4/comment/g8hnph7/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

It's quite long, so I won't copy and paste, but was interesting to read her responses. After she mentioned balling up her fists like a baby, I noticed myself doing the same thing when thinking about the felt boundary exerecise from the book. I had no idea I did that. I'm also noticing other tensions/contractions in the body, and am thinking even reading about this perhaps shifted something, but not in an overwhelming way. More of in an awareness way. I also like the practice of going between adult and child consciousness. T has talked about this before, numerous times, but hasn't felt particularly accessible until now. I feel like so much of this stuff has been in the body that I haven't had access to, and this is a way to get in touch with that.